Study abroad overview
At ISU, each college has their own study abroad office as well as the Study Abroad Center. There are many programs designed for particular majors and many that are open to students from a variety of academic disciplines. Academic Advisors are not expected to be able to advise on all programs, though it is helpful for advisors to have a general awareness of study abroad and the tools available to them.
- Review the LAS Study Abroad website for general information about study abroad. We recommend starting with LAS programs, Funding opportunities, and Frequently Asked Questions.
- Review ISUAbroad to explore all programs available at ISU and navigate through the many getting started resources provided to students and faculty/staff. There are also short tutorial videos available for various ISUAbroad functions.
- Review websites for other offices that provide study abroad opportunities on campus. Click here for a full list.
Academic advisor role in study abroad
- Promote study abroad as a high impact learning experience.
- Proactively ask students if they are considering or are planning to study abroad.
- Connect students to study abroad advisors.
- Help students navigate how courses will apply towards their degree plan.
Academics and credit transfer
- Study Abroad Advisors can help find courses offered at intended university abroad and obtain course descriptions /syllabi for students to share with their advisor’s review.
- Course descriptions/syllabi are also available in ISUAbroad on a program’s brochure page.
- Students are advised to show their advisor more courses than what they actually intend to take to have backup options.
- LAS Study Abroad does not advise students on how courses apply towards degree plan. It is important for students to discuss the courses they plan to take with their academic advisor so they can have an idea of how those courses will apply towards their degree plan.
- If a student is taking transfer credit abroad, the host university will send a transcript to the appropriate ISU study abroad office.
- This will be routed to the Office of Admissions for a Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE).
- After TCE is completed, students need to work with their academic advisor to apply transfer courses to degree audit.
- If a student is taking ISU credit abroad, students will enroll in the course through ISU and normal procedures apply.
Scholarships and financial aid
- Students with a primary to secondary major in LAS are eligible to apply for LAS Study Abroad Scholarships.
- The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences provides support for LAS students who are first time international travelers planning to study abroad through a passport reimbursement program.
- The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will award tuition credit via financial aid to every student who participates in an LAS Global Seminar. LAS Global Seminars are taught by LAS faculty during the summer term for ISU credit, not transfer credit.
- Additional scholarship opportunities are available.
- The Office of Student Financial Aid offers information on their website about using aid towards study abroad.